Coming Around Again
by The Final Doctor
Summary: After The Husbands of River Song. After The Forest of the Dead. What could possibly come after, for River Song? And how?


_(This brief interlude for the 12th Doctor takes place after the 'execution' of Missy but before he meets Bill.)_

The Doctor stared intently at the pot of sonic screwdrivers on his desk. "How did she know? How did she know what was coming, to send you? How did she KNOW where her diary would be?" he asked, not looking up.

Nardole hovered attentively, but blocking the path to the TARDIS. Ever ready to fail to prevent him from leaving. "She didn't tell me everything. She just came back, after you left."

"After I left? What do you mean, after I left?"

"After you both left. Left me alone on Darillium, and thanks for that by the way. At least she came back. Different hairstyle, though. Which is odd, because I thought you were sending her off to die?"

"Yes, yes. Let's not dwell on that, there are more important things to consider. She came BACK, you say?"

"Told me where and when the Diary was, where and when you'd be next, gave me the message. Gave me a vortex manipulator bracelet. Told me not to cock it up, which frankly I thought was a bit rude, and then she left again."

"And that was it? Nothing else?"

"The last thing she said was 'He saved me. Now it's my turn to save him. See you later, baldy.'"

"You're still holding back."

"It's a bit embarrassing."

The Doctor gave Nardole a hard stare.

Nardole shuffled in place then added "She patted me on the head. And then she kissed me. On the head, not the mouth."

"And then she left?"

"Yes."

The Doctor stood up, decisively.

"Right. Now - here's what I need you to do. Go to the vault and make sure it's still closed. Can you do that?"

"Oh, no. You can't get rid of me that easily. You're just trying to get me out of the way so you can sneak off Earth again, aren't you?"

"I can promise you, Nardole, that was the last thing that was on my mind."

Nardole puzzled at that for a moment. "OK then?"

"Tell you what. Why don't you nip down to the auxiliary wardrobe in the TARDIS and fetch me a nice warm scarf. It's getting nippy in here."

"It's July!"

"Timelord. Alien metabolism."

"Auxiliary wardrobe?"

"The TARDIS always keeps a spare everything, didn't you know that? It's past the swimming pool, third on the left, turn right, down the spiral staircase, through the arboretum, second set of double doors after the quantum fire extinguisher. You can't miss it."

"Hmm." Nardole still didn't look convinced.

"Hurry up man, I'm freezing in here! _Brrr-rrrr-rrr_!" (This must have been the most unconvincing shiver ever attempted).

Nardole scuttled off obediently into the TARDIS.

The Doctor counted under his breath and did not move. "...three ... four ..."

Nardole's head peeked back out through the TARDIS door. "Just checking!" It vanished again.

The Doctor rushed round his desk and in through the TARDIS door, which closed firmly.

With its customary grinding, skirling groan, the TARDIS demateralised.

* * *

Nardole dashed back into the console room from somewhere in the depths of the TARDIS. In one hand, he was clutching the folds of a long, fluorescent green scarf.

"Doctor - what are you doing? We've left again, haven't we? Abandoned it on Earth?"

The Doctor, absorbed, did not look up from the controls. "Nonsense. We'll be back before anyone even notices we're gone. Hardly gone at all in fact. Not gone. Nary an absence."

Then he did glance up, flashing what he wrongly assumed to be a self-assured smile. "Wow. You actually found a wardrobe room. How do you DO that? Those instructions should have led you to the potting shed."

"Never mind that - what do you think you're DOING?"

"Something I should have done a very long time ago. I saved her, remember? It's time to reload."

The TARDIS stopped making dematerialisation noises. In the corner of the room, a large piece of apparatus including a large vat full of creamy liquid had appeared. The Doctor pulled on the main breaker, and the time rotor began to move again.

Nardole pointed over at the equipment. "What - what's THAT?"

"It's called a Flesh Bowl. I need one. So we got one."

"Did you steal it? That's naughty."

"In about - " the Doctor glanced at his wrist, which was conspicuously not adorned with a watch - "five seconds from when I took it, the whole complex where it used to be was destroyed. No one will miss it. I should know, I was there."

"And what are you going to do with it?"

"It makes constructs. Flesh constructs. But I know how to stabilise them. That's the important part. Also, I have this." In one hand, he held up a small jar that looked to be filled with tiny, glowing particles. "Chula nanogenes. They're the important part too. Ooh! And this." In the other hand, he brandished a hairbrush. A few strands of red hair were caught in its bristles. "That's the important part as well."

"A hairbrush?"

"No, the DNA _on_ the hairbrush. Got it?"

"Not at all, no."

"Excellent!"

"So where are you going now, with your big vat and your jar of light and your hairbrush?"

"The Library. We need to make a withdrawal, and it's long overdue."

* * *

River Song, in a simple coverall, stared at him. "How? What - what did you do? How is this possible? I died. Vashta Nerada? Skeleton? No more River. It was such a _noble_ death. I saved you."

"You've saved me more than once. And now I've saved you. I built a Flesh copy using a little of your DNA I got from your hair."

"Flesh copy? They need to be anchored to an original living template!"

"No, they don't. I know how to stabilise them. This isn't my first rodeo."

"But they aren't real! They're just - copies!"

"That's why I infected you with Chula medical nanogenes. Had some left over from an unexploded bomb."

"A **WHAT** , now?"

"Long story. Not important. Ask Jack Harkness next time you see him. Ingenious little mites. Can rewrite anything to a pattern. Gave them your hair too. You'll be yourself soon enough."

"But it's still not _me_. How can it be?"

The Doctor smiled gently. "The sonic screwdriver. Remember I gave you my screwdriver? Well, a spare?"

"Yes. You were very lovely, sweetie."

"I put a neural relay in it. A really good one. The copy it took of your mind was 100% complete. It saved you. I saved you."

"And now you've downloaded it."

"Yes. A whole new body. Take care of this one."

"But - what will I do now? Where will I go?"

"Well, don't go anywhere you've already been. That usually leads to problems. I should know. Other than that - entirely up to you."

"I - I don't know what to say."

"Then say nothing. Oh - one more thing." He leaned in, and gave River a lingering kiss. As he did so, strands of energy seemed to drift from him and into her.

"What - what are you doing?" she murmured.

"Remember the Teselecta? When I died? You gave me all your regeneration energy, all your future lives. To save me. Well, you know that I got some more. That's how I even exist.

"Not sure if it's quite the same as before - the Timelords gifted it to me from a pocket universe. It tastes a bit funny, frankly. So I've given you some back. No idea how much. I seem to have way too much compared to the usual. You should have seen what it did to the Daleks! But I digress. Another long story. And now you have time for me to tell it.

"I hope that you'll live a long and happy life, and that you'll be back to annoy me some more. Many times. And when it comes to an end? Well, who knows what you'll become? Who knows who I'll become?"

"I'll need a new Diary!"

The Doctor handed her one, and a vortex manipulator bracelet. "I knew you would. Do you know what you want to do first?"

She gave him a mischievous grin. "Oh, I have one or two ideas. Once I've done some clothes shopping, of course."

She began to fiddle with the dials on the wristband.

"Anything good? Anything I could help with?"

She pushed a button on the vortex manipulator. As she disappeared, she called out to him.

" _Spoilers!_ "


End file.
